As the first 2D Metroid game in 19 years, Metroid Dread has built up a lot of hype since its E3 2021 announcement. First impressions suggested the game will have a dark tone and put an emphasis on the horror aspects of the series, and Metroid Dread’s new Gamescom 2021 trailer further emphasized this, also revealing quite a bit about what’s in store for Samus Aran.
Metroid Dread picks up after the events of Metroid Fusion - though it’s unknown how much time has passed between the two - on the planet ZDR, which is reported to have surviving X Parasites on its surface. When Samus arrives, she finds that the E.M.M.I. robots sent down as scouts have gone rogue. Not only does she need to investigate the ZDR and eliminate the X Parasites, but she now has to use her abilities to avoid the rogue E.M.M.I.
Given that much of the game's setting and story has been known for some time now, the new Metroid Dread trailer's biggest surprise was the return of the Chozo. The creators of Samus’ Power Suit and its various abilities, as well as the titular Metroids, the Chozo were an ancient, bird-like species with advanced understandings of technology and spiritualism.
Metroid Dread Gamescom Trailer: The Return Of The Chozos
The trailer opens with Samus crossing a bridge, only to be met by a new villain fans have dubbed the "Chozo general." The general was first seen in the final two Chozo Memories collected in Metroid: Samus Returns, which tell the story of the Metroids' creation. Their appearance here is significant because, like the rest of the species, they were thought to be long dead.
The Chozo general has a larger version of Samus’ arm canon and bests her in combat. This leaves a the trailer with cliffhanger seems to depict either Samus being hit with a direct blast or possibly activating some kind of special ability, with her visor turning red before the trailer cuts to black. Regardless, the Chozo general also has command over another Chozo warrior and robotic Chozos on ZDR, seen multiple times throughout the trailer. It seems the Chozo general is poised to be Metroid Dread’s main antagonist.
Metroid Dread Gamescom Trailer: New & Returning Abilities
The new trailer also showed off many of Samus’ abilities and enemies - and some examples of how the two will collide. Some returning abilities were highlighted, such as the space jump, screw attack, and morph ball, but others are either brand-new or were shown off in previous coverage but now got more screen time.
The first of the new abilities is a triple dash called Flash Shift. This allows Samus to quickly dodge attacks, rush enemies, or even fake enemies out by dashing toward them and immediately dashing away without ever touching the ground. A similar ability, Speed Booster, allows Samus to sprint forward to break through a barrier.
Samus’ canon is also getting some destructive upgrades to aid her in defeating the E.M.M.I. stalker and Chozo general. These include Ice Missiles that encase enemies and cause them to shatter when killed, but the most exciting of all is the Storm Missile, a barrage of homing rockets. They can target enemies behind Samus, split to hit enemies above and below platforms, or hit a single enemy dead on.
Samus has more traversal options as well, such as the return of the Grapple Beam, which now lets her zip to certain walls to climb up them. Other abilities in the trailer include Shinespark, which allows Samus to boost through the air in one direction, like an upgraded version of Speed Booster; Cross Bomb, which explodes in four directions; Pulse Radar, which scans the environment for secrets; and the iconic Screw Attack.
Metroid Dread Gamescom Trailer: Kraid Is Back (& More)
A sudden jump-cut in the Metroid Dread trailer reveals the open mouth of what appears to be Kraid, a recurring boss in the Metroid series. Other new enemies include a few previously unseen robot types and a large, squid-like, aquatic creature.
Throughout the trailer and compared to the first, Samus' Power Suit seems to change quite a bit. The red, white, and blue suit from the first and key art is swapped for a red, white, and gold suit, and Samus is also shown wearing the iconic purple and green Gravity Suit multiple times. As is true in many of the Metroid games, it appears Samus will receiving entirely different Power Suits throughout her journey.
Generally, the Metroid Dread Gamescom footage also suggests the game really does have an unrelenting pace. When the first trailer showed Samus running from the E.M.M.I., it was unclear if these moments were just small segments of acceleration during an otherwise even keel story, but the new trailer shows Samus seems to rarely stay still during combat. Players will likely need to be quick and creative in order to survive the unforgiving world of ZDR.
While many were hoping to see the reveal of Metroid Prime 4 at E3, Metroid Dread is quickly winning over fans. Everything shown thus far has suggested it will be a challenging experience that keeps players on their toes.
Metroid Dread will be released for Nintendo on October 8, 2021.